Author's note: Look, I'm on a roll :) Granted, this is a short chapter, I would hate to post this after a long wait and have it seem disappointing. The point being, this chapter is just as important as the rest. I want to thank everybody again for their lovely reviews, messages, and follows on this story. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed writing this story the most so far. My main regret on this piece? Not changing either Christine or Raoul's surname. Honestly! If their families are from the same secluded village, then they would not sound so different from each other. In retrospect, it would have been much easier to alter/change Christine's surname, because 1.) everything in Perros is based in northern France. 2.) The surname 'Daae' is already tricky to as it is! There are many sources saying various things such as "it's not Swedish at all," "It is spelled differently, therefore, created entirely by Leroux himself," "It is based off of a Hans Christian Anderson character's name," etc. etc. Some of these overlap, some are theories in and of themselves. Regardless, the point is that the it would have been better development on my part to have changed the surname of one of the principal characters for the sake of uniformity. I just like the name Daae, I suppose.

Anyway, thanks for the question, I love answering things like that. I hope you enjoy this small piece, and I do hope to have another chapter up within the not so distant future! - Phantom's angel

Le Fantôme et L'ange

Chapter 15

Into the Woods

The voice of doubt abandoned Raoul's thoughts the moment he strode through the threshold of his home. There was no longer a nagging staunchness to shut Christine out, but instead encouragement to prepare for his upcoming journey into the woods. He could not say if the change was from determination that had taken over, or if his conflicted conscience had finally come to terms. Regardless, he was thankful that his head and his heart were now united during this gallant decision. Raoul knew his companion to already possess bravery in its highest form, but he now needed to assemble all that he had within himself to believe that this could actually work. Perhaps, this fantôme of Christine's could somehow help save the people of Perros from a fate they did not deserve. He only wished now that time would move faster.

Rummaging through his drawers, Raoul searched for anything that could possibly aid him over the course of their evening. He had never gone past the trails leading across their village, and only once had Raoul traveled to Moriaix with his brother when he was young. Even on that singular occasion, their steads kept to the clearings carved out by frequent travels. The only trail grown over from infrequent use was that leading toward Perros. How tragic, Raoul now thought, that Perros had slowly become singed from the rest of Trégor. There was nothing that the small village had to offer the rest of the world, and like the generations who had already passed, Perros would eventually be a forgotten memory to all.

Raoul shook his head, disappointed at how useless he felt. He knew there must be some glimpse of hope, if he and Christine could just find any piece of information from her strange companion.

Opening his satchel from over his shoulder, Raoul threw in anything he thought would aid him: a knife, his pistol, an extra shirt, a blanket, and a cloak. He then ran downstairs to the pantry, taking a couple loafs of bread, in case they were longer than he expected. He then took his time outside in the stables, being sure to thoroughly search for anything he may not have thought to bring. He found rope, an axe and a small stash of kindling wood the be ideal for the journey. Finally, he grabbed a lantern and extra matches to light it. After he organized all of his items inside of his bag, he ran back inside and wrote his brother a note.

Philippe,

I have gone into the woods to try and find a resolve to this mess.

Christine Daaé will be my traveling companion. Please know, we

are traveling as safely and cautiously as possible. We anticipate

a return by to-morrow afternoon. Do not attempt to follow us, for

you safety, and for the well-being of the people of Perros.

Your brother,

Raoul

Raoul folded the note and left it to one of the servants. He knew he could trust that it would not be opened until it reached the hand of Philippe. With a sigh of determination, Raoul threw the satchel over his shoulder and walked out of the comfortable home he had known his entire life and headed for the stable. He went directly to his stallion and quickly saddled him up with one of their oldest pieces. The horse breathed in a thick breath of air, which Raoul took advantage of to tighten the flank billet around his belly. He pulled himself up onto the seat and turned to tie down his bag within the strings behind him. It was time for him to go where he had never been before. Time for him to do what he had never done before. Raoul was going out into the woods.

The sun hadn't quite set yet, but Raoul was too eager to wait any longer. He arrived at the Daaé cottage just before the sun dipped behind the tree line in the distance. There seemed to be peace behind the door leading inside. Raoul hoped this meant that Christine and her father had already discussed what their plans were for the night. As Raoul approached the front door, he cautiously knocked, afraid to disrupt a private conversation between Christine and her father. He heard the shuffle of heavy feet leading toward the door. As the door swung open, Charles Daaé looked surprised to find Raoul standing before him.

"Monsieur de Chagny," Charles said. "For what do I owe the honor?"

"I beg your pardon?" Raoul asked awkwardly. "Has Christine not—"

Raoul didn't know what to say. He did not wish to be the cause of animosity between Daaé and his daughter, yet he was sure that Christine would have told him. She couldn't have left him in the dark; not this time.

"I was told that Christine was coming to speak with you," Charles said.

"Yes, Monsieur," Raoul said, placing his hand over his heart. "Yes, we spoke to each other only hours ago. We intended to meet again here at your cottage…"

"I am afraid Christine has not returned home since she departed this morning," Charles said carefully.

"I do not understand," Raoul said, running his hand over the back of his neck. "We agreed to meet here. I cannot imagine that she would have left…"

"Is there something wrong, Monsieur?" Charles pressed.

"I am fearful there might be," Raoul said.

Charles ushered him inside of his home, placing his hand on Raoul's shoulder and puling him in toward the dinning table. Rather than offer him a seat, Charles sat him down on the bench and took the one opposite of him. Somehow, he knew that the conversation they were about to have would be sensitive.

"What has happened?" Charles urged.

Raoul took in a deep breath. He never felt so terrible before in his life. Not only did he fear for the fate of his village, but now he felt directly responsible for Christine's sudden disappearance as well.

"Christine came to speak with me at our home," he said. "She told me about her journey in the forest and I shared with her information about…"

Raoul could hardly bring himself to say it. It seemed taboo to mention it to someone who didn't already know about it, even if indirectly. Yet he could see the fear building behind Daaé's eyes as he paused.

He gave another heavy sigh.

"I shared with her new information that Philippe and I have learned about Perros," Raoul said. "The land is cursed, Monsieur. By a wicked sorceress who believed that every person born from Perros possessed a cruel heart. In turn, she has made it so that when we die, we shall never be granted access to the after life; we will all be doomed to remain in spirit form for eternity."

Daaé somehow kept a stoic face, untouched by the curse, but more concerned for the present and his daughter. Understandably so, seeing as her fate was removed from her father's and Raoul's. She deserved to enjoy the life she had left, as well as her journey to the Maker. After a moment, Charles Daaé nodded his head, letting the words crash over him.

"This is a terrible curse, indeed," Daaé said.

"With Christine's knowledge of the spirits and her curiosity for what had happened to her in the woods, I suggested that we take up with this fantôme of hers, and see if he could lead us to an answer on how to stop the curse."

"And she agreed to this," Daaé confirmed.

"Yes, Monsieur," Raoul said. "Somewhat reluctantly, I am afraid, but she did agree to it."

"How did you leave your last conversation with her?"

"That we would meet here, Monsieur," Raoul said.

Daaé slowly nodded his head, his face growing more ashen as he discovered the details. Raoul reached across the table, hoping to let his grief be known.

"I would never have suggested she go alone," Raoul said.

"I know that," Charles said.

"It baffles me that she would simply leave, despite all that we had planned—"

"She did not leave on her own intentions," Daaé said gravely.

Raoul was taken back by his word. How else would she have not arrived home by now?

"Do you mean to tell me something has happened to her between my home and yours?" Raoul questioned.

"I know my daughter," Charles said with a tenderness in his tone. "She has promised me that she would not stray to the woods again. If it was her intention to break that promise, she would have surly told me. Was it her word to meet here before you departed?"

"Why, yes," Raoul replied. "It was."

"She wished to tell me before you made your travels."

Raoul sat, wide eyed with astonishment. Not only was it touching to see closer into she and her father's relationship, but it also begged the question of what happened to Christine Daaé between the path between their homes.

Raoul stood up from the table, pushing the bench out from behind him.

"We must go to the woods," he said heroically.

"You know as well as I, Monsieur," Charles said sadly. "I could not withstand a journey like that."

And it was true. The man looked older by the moment as they spoke, and even since they first met, not even one year ago, his face had turned downward. Daaé had trouble working around his home, and relied on Christine more every day. He could never last in the woods.

"Then I shall go find her," Raoul said softly. "I will hook your gelding to a cart and you can go alert my brother. He will assist you from there."

"Are you certain she is in the forest, Monsieur?" Daaé asked.

"No," Raoul said in a groan. "But I do have a feeling."

As he swung over the side of his stallion's saddle, Raoul gave a quick wave to Charles Daaé, who was sitting in a cart pointed down the western path.

"I will bring her home to you," Raoul called out.

With a heavy turn of his shoulders, Raoul kicked his stallion's haunches and drove him into the tree line. With a stutter of reluctance, the gray horse pawed at the earth, uneasy to a task which had never been asked of him before. Raoul urged him on, running his hand over the side of his neck.

As the stead reared forward, Raoul called out a cry of encouragement, saying, "Cesar, go!"

Within moments, he was within the forest's walls, holding his lantern high over his head for safety, and pressing forward.

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